i have a well established dirt planted 50 gla. tank it is like a jungle with green sword,anachris, mirio,myaca,money wart,hornwort ,jungle val plants all growing through the roof. fish are siamese algae eaters,almano and ghost shrimp ..the tank is co2 disolved ,aireated by air stone fine bubbles ,4 32w 6500k lights. ammonia cycled completed months ago,i think i gone through my last algae cycle with well filtered water, dirt decay is under control in the planted areas
..... ph about 7.2-7.8 temp 74-80 hard water with plenty of buffering.... I am looking for peaceful herbivores to keep my plants under control... I am looking for peaceful herbivores to keep my plants under control without destroying them???any suggestions ??
thanks _mike:frustrated:

nicolaas

07-31-2012 04:01 PM

If you had softer water and a lower PH you could get silver dollars.

Whey are you buffering your hardness ?:-?

You need to feed your fish neons don't eat plant's, cherrys and the dwarf eat a little but they will all die if you don't feed them!

How many fish are in the tank?

mike720

07-31-2012 04:36 PM

plant eating fish

about 10 algae eaters doing fine on algae alone ,4 of the omnivores getting desperate and pressure from family(want to see pretty fish) got young ones hopping to train them to go for the plants. i am trying to create a balanced ecosystem..just add light(and an occasional tweaking) "to dream the impossible dream"..

nicolaas

08-05-2012 08:55 AM

Pleas list all your fish,how many.

You cant expect that omnivores will eat just plants.

mike720

08-05-2012 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicolaas
(Post 1185488)

Pleas list all your fish,how many.

You cant expect that omnivores will eat just plants.

beside an assortment of algae eaters (doing great for months on only algae on the plants) i have 2 neon tetras,a male cherry barb, and 1 dwarf groumi...they have only the plants and small rams horn snails to eat for a week as of today...my goal is to not feed the fish but feed the plants light (they already have good soil).. a" BALANCED ECOSYSTEM" .... if i can't find herbivores or convert some omnivores to eat my lush plant growth ......i am sunk....

Mikaila31

08-05-2012 08:00 PM

Its called 'pruning'.

Just realize plant eating fish don't neatly eat plants. They just shred up all the leaves and leave them looking like crap.

Philnominal

08-05-2012 08:03 PM

Silver dollars will destroy your plants as well as any other fish that is a threat to plants. Tanks require work.

mike720

08-06-2012 02:17 PM

i realize that tanks need work....as is i have a good balanced tank needing only pruning.. my life long dream may be impossible,,, i am trying to push the envelope not because i am lazy, but that is my goal a balanced ecosystem .......may be the system is more complex than i realized..,, but i still am going try......i remember Edison's 1000 failures before inventing the light bulb.......thanks for responding to this thread...i am still learning from you....